Hey, Look, It’s Something Resembling the Yankees Real Lineup

That the Yankees are 5–1 on their current homestand probably has more to do with their opponents — and their opponents' general lack of pitching — than anything else. But in the long run, this week will be remembered as the one where Curtis Granderson (who rejoined the team Friday) and Jorge Posada (who was activated last night) returned to the lineup, and the likes of Kevin Russo and Juan Miranda started to see a lot less playing time — or at least, you know, Major League playing time. (As for Nick Johnson, the only opening-day starter not with the team, we'll believe that he's returning this year when we see it.)

Brad Bergesen didn't make it out of the third inning for the Orioles in the 9–1 Yankees' win, while Phil Hughes — he of the forthcoming Hughes Rules — pitched seven more brilliant innings for his seventh win. (Full disclosure: We attended this game, and the scoreboard tells us that Baltimore scored in the sixth inning, but we were too glued to our cell phone following the happenings in Detroit to tell you how exactly that happened. Sorry.)

Last night, as he will many nights, Posada served as the designated hitter while Francisco Cervelli caught. For now, that's because Posada's not physically able to catch, but soon enough, the Yankees will have to decide exactly how much time he should spend behind the plate. Depending on which tabloid you read, he's either not thrilled with the prospect of DHing, or coming to terms with it. But we hope he eventually comes around: The Yankees' best lineup — again, as long as Nick Johnson is out — includes both Cervelli and Posada, and it makes all too much sense to let the superior defensive catcher serve as the backstop, while the aging veteran serves as the DH, as the aging veteran should.